Authentication and identification of articles is of great concern in a number of arenas. For example, customs agents attempt to stop shipments of counterfeit goods when they enter the country. To do so, they must be able to distinguish between genuine or authorized goods and counterfeit or unauthorized goods. Attempts have been made to mark authorized goods and/or their shipment containers and to provide a system for officials to use the marks to confirm the authenticity of the goods.
Many applications for authenticity-verifying or source-verifying technology require or are benefited from solutions which are easily implemented by a person “in the field”. Other applications are benefited from solutions which are easily automated to allow fast yet more complete, rather than spot-checked, reviews of larger numbers of articles.
What has been needed has been an authentication system with protections against counterfeiting and with ease of use and access for customs officials, law enforcement, and other interested persons to verify the authenticity of articles. The system and method should allow the user several different methods to authenticate or identify an item. A needed system and method should have varying levels of security, such that a first magnified “eyeball” review provides some level of assurance that the goods are authentic; additional covert features which are more difficult to verify and more difficult to counterfeit offer further levels of security. Further, the system should be conducive or adaptable to “in the field” applications using hand held or portable verification or reading equipment. Still further, it is advantageous for an authentication system to be adaptable to automation, such that articles can be scanned and authenticated quickly and accurately while minimizing human labor.